• Follow Us!

The Arc of Cape May
60th Anniversary
Celebration

Join us for a yearlong celebration of the work that The Arc of Cape May County has done for the past 60 years.

Over the next few months, we will be showcasing the highlights of 60 outstanding years of advocacy, service, and support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We will connect virtually on May 8, 2021, to celebrate our last 60 years for our first event of the year, “Come Together Virtual Gala.”

The Arc of Cape May County Milestones

1961

April
The Arc of Cape May County was founded.

1971

February
The Daycare Center moves from the original Rio Grande location to a larger, more accessible building in Cape May Court House allowing for further enrollment.

1979

The first residential group home is opened on Shunpike Road in Erma allowing for individuals to choose community living over an institutional setting. Subsequently, three additional residential programs open accumulating to 17 sites as of 2016.

1987

October
Beaver Dam Crisis Respite Program opened – one of the first crisis-behavioral respite programs statewide.

2000

November
Group home residents open their doors to host several Coast Guard recruits for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays through their Operation Fireside campaign.

2003

September
In conjunction with the County of Cape May, The Arc is awarded a $200,000 Small Cities Grant to make repairs and accommodations to nine residential buildings.

2003

January
Selected by the local community as a top non-profit from Cape Bank through their Customer Discretion Awards voting and financial contribution program.

2004

May
1st Annual Step Up for The Arc Walkathon held in on the beach promenade in Sea Isle City.

2006

September
Awarded a US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant of nearly $900,000 for (2) housing units to accommodate 8 individuals with I/DD.

2008

August
A gathering of protestors and advocates from The Arc demonstrate near the Rio Grande theater in opposition to the use of the R-Word in the movie Tropic Thunder.

2009

August
The Arc Thrift Store more than doubles in size and relocates to a 7,500 square foot building in the Shop Rite Plaza just a block away.

2010

May
Training Center opened in Rio Grande providing a home for employee training, larger space for meetings, and program space for Family Support and Recreation activities.

2010

Awarded a $50,000 grant from the NJ Historic Trust to create a Preservation Plan for the Joseph Faulkinburg House and outbuildings.

2011

September
Festivities during the Annual Fall Fundraiser include an orchestra ensemble to commemorate and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Arc of Cape May County.

2014

July
A memory tree is dedicated at the administrative property in South Dennis to memorialize the many family members of The Arc who were supported or employed by the organization.

   2019

       September

The agency brought all the day programs together to 927 Courthouse South Dennis Road to ensure the program could be more community based.